1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in and by the U.S. Patent Office, the present invention is believed to be found in the medical field and, more particularly, to a device for securing a needle and connecting tubing for medications and/or fluids fed into an IV line and before the cannula leading into the patient. This securing device employs adhesively-coated clear and flexible plastic so that observation of flow and/or addition of medication can be observed by the attendant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of an adhesive coating on plastics, particularly thin and flexible plastic film, is very well known. Adhesive tape is and has been used with catheters and the securing of these members to the body parts of the patient being treated. Among U.S. Patents of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,984 to EBY, as issued July 31, 1962. The retaining member is suggested to be of aluminum foil with an adhesive surface. Retention of a secondary conductor and needle is with a slot and viewing of the flow in the flexible tubing is through a rectangular opening. The simplified but novel securing device of this application is not shown or suggested. Also of note is U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,300, as issued to DOAN on Mar. 4, 1969. This patent shows a strip of flexible material with an adhesive surface and a release paper used therewith. The retention of a tube is with a loop formed around the tube and with extending wings of an aperture and wing members inserted through the aperture to secure the tube. Also noted is U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,446 to BUTTARAVOLI, as issued Nov. 11, 1975. This patent depicts a foldover device with appropriate cutouts for guiding the hookup connection and the tubing and to effect a retained and positioned placement. An additional adhesive is provided for securing the device to the skin of the patient. This device is for retaining the IV hookup to and into the vein or artery of a patient. This device does not show or suggest a thin transparent plastic sheet with peripheral frames to permit ready removal from the added inserting site. Another patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,304 to MOOR, as issued Oct. 17, 1978, which shows an adhesive member of flexible material and an added clamp member of molded material.
It is to be noted that, frequently, supplementary medications and/or fluids are fed into IV Lines using secondary administration sets. This invention is directed to and toward such situations and conditions. In these cases, the normal means of hookup is to attach a needle at the end of a luer connector of the secondary set and insert (inject) a needle into a rubber cap at a "Y" Site conventionally provided at and on the primary IV Line. Although there is some frictional resistance to withdrawal of the needle from the rubber cap resulting from the inherent elasticity of the rubber, this resistance is insufficient to assure the practitioner (nurse, physician, etc.) that accidental withdrawal does not occur. Hence, it is standard practice and policy in most hospitals after making such a hookup to tape the two components (needle and rubber cap) together. This procedure is cumbersome, time-consuming and, unless done properly, may represent a contamination site. (During taping it is relatively easy to move the needle backward and forward in the rubber cap, thus presenting a site that is contamination-suspect). This procedure also requires much dexterity. When breaking the connection, there is no simplified procedure (some nurses cut the tapes with a scissor, others unwrap the tape). In any case, as no consideration by the attendant was given to removing the tape at the time it was applied, it is not a standard or routine procedure and, hence, presents a potential site for contamination due to above-identified conventional procedure. Partly as a result of this, more often than not the connection, once made, is not broken. This is not always possible for, unfortunately, there are many cases where this connection must be broken--for example, when feeding drugs--and the hookup site must be opened to replace the secondary needle with another needle to add a second or third drug.